Scansoriopteryx
| Scansoriopteryx | |
|---|---|
| Skeletal restoration of the type specimen | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | Theropoda |
| Family: | †Scansoriopterygidae |
| Genus: | †Scansoriopteryx Czerkas & Yuan, 2002 |
| Species: | †S. heilmanni |
| Binomial name | |
| †Scansoriopteryx heilmanni Czerkas & Yuan, 2002 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Scansoriopteryx ("climbing wing") is a genus of maniraptoran dinosaur. Described from only a single juvenile fossil specimen found in Liaoning, China, Scansoriopteryx is a sparrow-sized animal that shows adaptations in the foot indicating an arboreal (tree-dwelling) lifestyle. It possessed an unusual, elongated third finger which may have supported a membranous wing, much like the related Yi qi. The type specimen of Scansoriopteryx also contains the fossilized impression of feathers.
Most researchers regard this genus as a synonym of Epidendrosaurus, with some preferring to treat Scansoriopteryx as the junior synonym, though it was the first name to be validly published.